Their First Spin...

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, I have really been "drawn" to higher heels of late.  I have purchased four pair with heels right around 4 inches.

I know some of you are thinking... FOUR INCHES... that is not even close to being a high heel.

For me it is quite a change.  I am intrigued.

Since this is a bit out of my comfort zone... maybe literally uncomfortable... I decided a Sunday might be the best day to give the new red heels a spin. 

As you may recall, the reviews on the Kohl's website were not stellar when I purchased them.

Verdict... LOVE them!


Are they like wearing tennis shoes?  Of course not but they were suprisingly more comfortable than I had feared... even by the end of the day.

As many of you already know, walking in these is a little different but I did well, especially considering that I am so inexperienced.

Style over function?

Perhaps... but I truly love wearing them.  I see many new pairs of shoes in my future.

Santa... Santa... did you hear me?

Hee Hee

Since it is still quite chilly (Yes, "Dallas Chilly") here, I opted for another cashmere sweater, this time in a lovely red to match my new shoes.

This one happens to be an old Ann Klein catch from many years ago.

She gets many days of wear once the temps begin to drop.

Doesn't that collar just say "Snuggle?"


The yellow sweater I showed you yesterday is lovely but nothing like this one.

Soft is an understatement.

They are just different.  This one wears "different."  It hangs better on my body.  It feels more luxurious.  It is simply a "nicer" garmet.

Does that even make sense?

It is late, I am not sure I am all here.

Hee Hee

I decided that red high heels and a red sweater were enough bold colors for today so I finished the ensemble off with a simply black pencil skirt.

I have had this one for so long I could not even begin to guess where it came from.

Truth... the tag was not even in it anymore so I cannot tell you who made it either.  I looked.

Well loved.  Well worn.

Hee Hee

And the finished ensemble...

What do you think?

 

So now a quick story...

Children's birthday parties... is there a dress code?

Here is why I ask...

I invited Sis and her kids to have lunch after church today.

After several days of Aunt Jordan laying around their house, the least I could do is spring for lunch.  Afterwards my nephew was headed to a birthday party and he asked his me to go.

How could I say no?

Besides, Sis didn't really know anyone so she was really hoping I would go.

Perhaps she put him up to asking?

Hee Hee

Anyway... Chuck E. Cheese.  Yes, Chuck E. Cheese.  Stop laughing.

The kids go wild in this place.  It is loud.  Music blaring.  Video screens playing all sorts of kid related mayhem.  Games EVERYWHERE.  A six foot mouse running around giving high fives to the kids.

In short, eight year old paradise.

Here's the thing, Sis and I show up in skirts and heels.  Typical day.  Nothing fancy.  No other mother does.  Some are dressed neatly, some not so much.  Whatever... your deal, not mine.

What is interesting to me is that three different ladies stopped us and asked, "Why are you so dressed up?"

This is an interesting question to me.  Has it become some kind of sin to be "dressed up?"

Each lady truly had quite a perplexed look on her face when she stopped us to ask.  Confusion reined supreme in her world.  As if the fact that each us was actually wearing a skirt was some kind of warning of an impending disaster.

Should I have taken this question as a compliment to my new shoes?

Hee Hee

There are so many ways to answer said question but my sister is far sweeter than I am so she politely responded to all three, "We came here directly from church."

Explanation/apology accepted.

Confused look on face gone.

Attire of choice permitted.

Now I am going to be honest, I do not think that any of these three ladies were intentionally rude.

One did respond, "You should keep a change of clothes in the car."

She smiled.  I think she was sincerely trying to help.  I politely replied, "Well, actually, we dress this way most of the time.  Today is not really any different."  She nodded.

I think perhaps that thought still confuses her a bit?

WARNING... IMPENDING DISASTER!!!!!

Hee Hee

So again, is there a dress code for a children's birthday party?

I guess you could say we were "over dressed" but that can be said about me almost every day.

What bothers me, no one seems to mind the "under dressed" anymore?  What about the lady that looked like she just rolled out of bed?  Was her choice of (PJ's, I think?) attire more appropriate?

Oh well... enough ranting... it is late.

Have A Marvelous Monday!

-- The Leather Skirt --

More Polka Dots...

The blouse that I showed you all in my last post was such a HUGE success that it motivated me to go with some more polka dots today.  Actually, I received a number of compliments on it throughout the day as well.  It is a lovely blouse, prepare to see it again soon.  Hee Hee

Anyhoo... on to today's ensemble...

Once I had decided to go with this black & white skirt it got me to thinking what a smashing success the red/white/black combo had been here.  That post has been by far the most commented on since I started this blog last October.  Why not duplicate it?  The houndstooth skirt in that post was a thrift find, sadly this one was not.  This one came from my favorite store ever... Harold's.  Let's all say it together... "I miss that store."  

The skirts are far different materials and the patterns are not exactly the same but the impact is similar.  

What do you think of this skirt?

I chose a lighter weight sweater today because I knew that the rain would cause me to break out the long overcoat.  No pictures of the coat.  No one wants to see that.  Ugly.  Hey, it is warm and keeps the rain at bay so it remains in the arsenal just for days like today.

It is not all that cold but the rain and grey skies just makes it a craptastic day.  Thanks again Kassi.

I think the two just go beautifully together.  How about you?

To finish the look I went with... drum role please... my tall black boots by Born.  I actually like the look of the boots with the buckle embellishment I have shown you before better but you simply cannot beat these for their walkability.  Yes, that is a word.  Look it up. 

Don't believe me? 

Webster's says:  Any shoe or boot that remains comfortable even after several hours of walking.

See!

Oh yea... the boots...

The entire ensemble came together like this...

What do you think?  I know, the red is a little bold but despite my tendency to migrate back to blacks, whites, greys, blues and various shades of brown I do like a little color.

BTW... because I always like to add a funny little story about my outfit if there is one to be told...

Earlier today we had a big conference call involving a number of members of our team and some clients from out of town.  Nothing unusual.  I was one of the last to arrive in the board room for the call.  Nothing unusual.  Hee Hee.  My boss was already on the phone with the client, going around the room introducing those that were already present when I walked in to here this...

My boss:  "... and John are already here."  "Jordan will be here... wait a minute... Mrs. Clause just arrived."

Now I don't think that was a reference to my wonderful giving nature so I am assuming it was due to the bright red sweater that I have chosen for today.

Please don't read anything into that.  I love my boss.  She is fantastic and we kid one another all the time about our daily outfits, our hair, whatever.  In fact, she is the person that first called me "The Leather Skirt".  She doesn't actually call me that anymore (not that I know anyway, Hee Hee) but occasionally I will here someone mention it as I walk by their office.

By the way, my boss always looks fantastic and will rock a leather skirt to the office on occasion, too.  She has three kids at home.  She has been married for almost 20 years.  She is amazing.

- The Leather Skirt -

Blogging On My Lunch Break...

Today the weather in Dallas is awful.  Cold.  Windy.  Rainy.  Winter.  One of my favorite blogger buddies (Kassi from The Closet Intervention) used a new word in her post today.  The word - "Craptastic".  I looked it up, means - Crappy weather, fantastic day.  True.  Try Websters if you don't believe me.  Hee Hee

Anyway, it is the perfect word.  The weather really is crappy but I intend to have a fantastic day anyway.

Drop by and check Kassi's blog out if you don't already follow her.  She is great!

Moving on.... Does anyone else do their blogging on their lunch break?  Am I the only one?  Ordinarily I do not go home for lunch but today I decided I did not want to wait to get my outfit post up.  I am so thrilled with how this ensemble looks.  I just didn't want to wait until the end of the work day.  Hope you like it, too?

Well?

LOVE this hounstooth skirt.  You might remember from a previous post that I found this baby at a local resale shop for a mere $7.00!  What do you think of it?

I have already gotten my money's worth and since it has fast become one of my favorites, it will get many more spins to be sure .  Funny how our favorite wardrobe items change from time to time, huh?  

Another of my blogger buddies (Bessie from Bravoe Runway) just posted about how a recent acquisition has made its way to the top of her "favorites" as well.  Bessie puts the "S" in sophistication.  Drop by and check her blog out as well.

This is perhaps the softest sweater that I have ever felt.  As a result, I have it in at least three colors.  Hee Hee

Perfect for a craptastic day, huh?

Perfectly "walkable" and cute.  Hard to think of a better reason not to pull these babies out on a craptastic day!  How cool is that buckle?

Well, lunch is rapidly drawing to a close.  Gotta run.

Hope You Have A Fantastic Day!

- The Leather Skirt -

Back To The Grind...

Thanksgiving Weekend is over and my trip was wonderful.  Even the flying part was tollarable.  The weekend was busy and my my flight was later getting back in than originally planned but I am so glad that I went.

I hope that you had a great holiday weekend as well?

Anyway, I had planned this huge post detailing what I had packed for my trip but, alas, the opportunity just didn't present itself.  Ugh!  Does anyone else ever have a post idea in their head that just never materializes?  Frustrating... at least for me. Given that it is Monday and the entire trip is over, I figured that it is best to just move on.  Oh well.

I don't really know why I titled this post that way, I truly love my job, perhaps a little too much.  Hee Hee

With that said, Monday is the start of a new work week and although I cannot say I actually look forward to it, I do not dread it at all.  Returning to work after a long weekend is especially fun for me.  It is good to see most everyone again, catch up on their lives, just re-engage.  But it is Monday AND it is quite chilly today... at least for this part of the country... so I went with a nice cozy sweater and some tall boots.  Yummy.

Here is what I am wearing today...

Both the sweater and the skirt are from Harold's but I don't know for sure if I bought them at the same time.  I have had them both for some time.  I have said it before but I REALLY miss Harold's.  Such classic stuff.

This sweater is SO SOFT and SO WARM.  I love to pair it with so many things in my closet at this time of the year.  You will definitely see it again.  Some say that whites and beige are boring tones, I say that they are versatile and classic.  

 LOVE this skirt.  I think it is so sharp.  What do you think?

Simple combination but I think these two pieces were born to go together.  Speaking of Born...

If you have read my blog for a little while you last saw these boots here.  Hint... you will probably see them again.  Hee Hee

These are one of my favorite pairs of boots.  This particular pair is by Born.  If you have never owned a pair of Born boots, get some.  Comfortable and sharp.  Killer combination.

I am not sure that it is possible to have too many good pairs of tall boots.  I wear them 8-9 months a year.  The summer months are just too hot but come that first little cool spell I will break them out regularly all the way through Memorial Day.  How much of the year do your taller boots get to see the street?

With that my lunch hour is rapidly drawing to a close.  Have a great day!

- The Leather Skirt -

Fierce...

Just a couple of days ago a posted here on my blog, looking for some help deciding between two new suits that I had my eye on.  In case you were curious, the overwhelming sentiment seemed to lean away from the Houdstooth.

Anyway, the author (Kassi) of one of my very favorite blogs ("The Closet Intervention"), left a comment on the post that got me to thinking.  Her quote...

"...you could get the red blazer as well. A red blazer would look fierce with your leather pants and skirts. Just sayin."

Fierce.  I like that word.  I like the mere thought of looking "fierce."  What woman wouldn't?  Well, maybe there are woman that wouldn't want to invite any unwanted attention but if you have read my blog at all, you know that I am not one of them.  If you're reading my blog for the first time try reading this post or this one to better understand what I mean.  Anyway... as I was saying, I was intrigued with the suggestion.

At the moment I do not own a red blazer but I do have lots of red in my closet.  Not too much red, not sure that is possible, but enough to figure something out.  Fierce, still thinking... fierce.  What can pull this together in just the right way?  As I searched my closet I stumbled onto something that I haven't worn in forever... I used to LOVE it but somehow it had been forgotten.  How does that happen?  Here is what I discovered and how I pulled it all together for today's outfit.

I thought about wearing my tall boots, as I so often do this time of the year but decided if the goal truly was "fierce", my Stuart Wietzman pumps that have gotten precious little wear would be the best best.  Did I make the right call?

How cool is that shoe?  If you ask me, the picture doesn't really do their beauty justice.

I give Kassi all of the credit that she so richly deserves, the red combined with the leather skirt really is "fierce".  I am honestly not sure why I have not ever done that before?  I tend to lean towards more muted tones when looking for pairings for my leather skirt and leather pants.  As much as I do LOVE wearing them, I am also looking for ways to "tone them down" just a tad.  Red just seems so bold.  As happy as I am with this ensemble it is pretty likely that you will be seeing more of these sorts of pairings.

Perhaps I was concerned that such a bold color was a little too much?  Not sure if I felt like that in general or only because I intended to wear this outfit to work?  Maybe without the jacket the red sweater would be a little "over the top" for the office?  Speaking of the jacket...

Look at the stitching in this thing.  Look at the texture.  Say what you will, I truly LOVE it!  How did that EVER find it's way to back of my closet?  I already have multitudes of other ideas.  You may see this one again sometime soon as well.  Hee  Hee.

If nothing else has come of this blog, I really like the fact that it has me being more "creative" when I step into me closet now.

Just a few more hours at work today and then I think I will "hit the town!"  Okay, just a little exageration.  Needless to say, I think that I look "fierce" enough today that I at least am due dinner and a drink.  Gonna call the girls now... HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

- The Leather Skirt -